For younger patients in their 20s and 30s, should they go for a colonoscopy or CT scan if their “IBS” is bad?

I think rather than jumping the gun, whether they should go for investigation, the very least you should do is to seek a consultation with preferably a specialist. The reason for that is IBS is not a condition you have to live with forever. Or rather I should say you have to potentially live with it forever, but it’s something that there are medications that can potentially treat it.

I think first and foremost when you come and see a doctor, we take a detailed history and decide whether it sounds like IBS in the first place. We often ask whether there’s a strong family history of colon cancer then we certainly ask for other symptoms that are suggestive of colon cancer. Whether you have bleeding, whether you have unexplained weight loss, whether you have tummy pains in a particular region.

So only when we get a complete picture then we can offer someone in their late 20s or 30s -- we say alright you don’t need a scope, maybe at most a scan would suffice since your symptoms are not very suggestive of something going on in the colon. And then with that in mind, once that is sorted out, we can label it as IBS. If you want some form of treatment, then medications are certainly available.

Up to now, there are no tests to conclusively diagnose IBS. Instead, tests are done to rule out other conditions. If a colonoscopy and CT scan have not yet been done, they should be done to make sure you are not suffering from other more serious conditions.

*Dr Stephen Chang*
Medical Director, GLAD Clinic

Adj Assoc Professor, NUS

Founding President, Hepatopancreatobiliary Association (Singapore)

www.GLADClinic.com.sg

IBS is a condition that mimics colon cancer but does not increase the risk of cancer. Anybody with suspicious symptoms, such as 'Bad IBS', should be properly evaluated by a general surgical specialist before being labelled as having IBS.

If a scan or colonoscopy is necessary due to the suspicious symptoms, then it should be done even if the patient is only in their 30s or 20s

Up to now, there are no tests to conclusively diagnose IBS. Instead, tests are done to rule out other conditions. If a colonoscopy and CT scan have not yet been done, they should be done to make sure you are not suffering from other more serious conditions.

*Dr Stephen Chang*
Medical Director, GLAD Clinic

Adj Assoc Professor, NUS

Founding President, Hepatopancreatobiliary Association (Singapore)

www.GLADClinic.com.sg